Notice of public hearing and participant funding offering for the review of Canadian Nuclear Laboratories’ licence renewal application

June 9, 2017 – Ottawa, ON 

The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) is offering funding to assist members of the public, Indigenous groups and other stakeholders in participating in the licence application review and the Commission’s public hearing process for the renewal of CNL’s nuclear research and test establishment operating licence for the CRL site. CNL has requested a licence renewal until April 1, 2028. This facility is located in Chalk River, Ontario, approximately 180 kilometres northwest of Ottawa. 

The CNSC will hold a public hearing on January 24 and 25, 2018 in Pembroke, Ontario, to consider CNL’s site licence renewal request. With this request, CNL is seeking approval to continue operation of the site for a 10-year period, during which CNL will modernize and consolidate the operations at the site, including the shutdown of the National Research Universal (NRU) reactor and various infrastructure and site improvements.

A total of $75,000 is being offered to assist stakeholders in providing new, distinctive and valuable information, through informed and topic-specific written submissions to the Commission.

The deadline for submitting a completed participant funding application form to the CNSC is September 15, 2017. 

Note:

The Commission will not accept any submission or make any decision related to CNL’s proposed Near Surface Disposal Facility (NSDF) at the CRL site during the public hearing to consider CNL’s application for the renewal of its nuclear research and test establishment operating licence for the Chalk River Laboratories. The Commission will schedule a separate public hearing for this matter at a later date. 

The CNSC regulates the use of nuclear energy and materials to protect health, safety, security and the environment; to implement Canada’s international commitments on the peaceful use of nuclear energy; and to disseminate objective scientific, technical and regulatory information to the public. 

For more information, view the notice of public hearing or visit the Participate in a public Commission hearing and Participant Funding Program sections of the CNSC website.